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In the Northern Hemisphere, maximum sea ice extent was likely reached on 6 March, at 13.96 million km², 1.0 7% below the average. This winter’s maximum extent is the second lowest since 1993, continuing the concerning pattern of near record lows already seen in 2025 (5th lowest maximum extent). Since November 2025 Arctic sea ice extent has consistently remained among the three lowest levels on record for that time of year, highlighting persistently low sea ice even during the normal growth season.
The largest regional losses are occurring in the Arctic’s peripheral seas, particularly in areas connected to the North Pacific and North Atlantic. Significant deficits have been observed in the Barents Sea and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The Arctic remains one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. Rising sea surface temperatures are delaying sea ice formation and accelerating melting, further reducing seasonal sea ice and reinforcing long-term climate trends.
* Note that the date of the minimum and sea ice extent values may vary between datasets, so different results may be obtained by the different operational systems around the world. Our operational systems cover the period 1993-2026 and ranks this year’s winter’s extent as the second lowest since 1993.
Sea ice volume in the Arctic is steadily declining, and since 2021 has been breaking records each year. Maximum sea ice volume should be reached in the coming days.
On 3 March 2026 it was measured at 14.29 thousand km3 – -12.59 thousand km³ (or around 47%) below the long-term average 1993-2020.
Sea ice cover in the Southern Ocean likely reached its minimum for the year on 25 February 2026, with an extent of 2.36 million km². Globally, the 2026 summer extent follows very closely the long-term trend of 1993-2010 for the same date, with a difference of -0.039 million km², and -1.6% in sea ice.
Regionally, in the northwestern part of the Weddell Sea, a significant sea ice extent survived the summer, contrary to what has been observed in the previous years (2023, 2024 and 2025). Positive anomalies are also detected in the Amundsen Sea and in various regions along the East Antarctic coast, in the areas of Cosmonauts Sea, Cooperation Sea and Dumont d’urville.
*Note that the date of the minimum and sea ice extent values may vary between datasets. For instance, the Copernicus Climate Change Service system has detected a daily sea ice minimum value in the Antarctic on 22 February 2026.
Sea ice volume around the Antarctica reached its minimum at 1.22 thousand km3 – 1.06 thousand km3 below the long-term average.
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*Image citation: European Union, Copernicus Marine Service Data 2026 I © Mercator Ocean
All images in this article can be used freely and should be cited with the information above.
